The expedition promptly collapsed and was abandoned, with much instruction in consequence to Congress and people.

Under their control the commissariat also went hopelessly to pieces, and a committee of Congress proceeded to Valley Forge and found that in this direction, too, the new managers had grievously failed.

Then the original Conway letter, uncovered so unceremoniously by Washington, kept returning to plague its author.

Gates's correspondence went on all through the winter, and with every letter Gates floundered more and more, and Washington's replies grew more and more freezing and severe.

Gates undertook to throw the blame on Wilkinson, who became loftily indignant and challenged him.